Customer Reviews

The Cardiac Cartel

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After finishing David Mucci's debut novel, CARDIAC CARTEL, I couldn't help but be reminded of the plot line in John Grisham's THE FIRM. In this case, however, it's not a young, ambitious attorney who gets in over his head....it's a young, ambitious cardiac surgeon who gets thrown to the sharks.

Dr. Peter Pavano doesn't even get a chance to catch his breath and enjoy the perks of being a 'fellow' in a prestigious angioplasty program before his life unravels before his eyes.

He's set up for a fall, but Pavano is man with more lives than an alley cat. He's smart and he remains alive by staying one step ahead of the really, really bad guys.

I don't read many self-published books because I find the quality lacking. This is an exception and I recommend it to anyone who likes a thriller. You don't necessarily have to like medical thrillers to enjoy this roller coaster ride.

Strap yourself in and set aside several hours because once you start CARDIAC CARTEL, you won't be able to put it down.

I look forward to other work from Mucci. He's got a voice and a real talent for weaving a tale. And, his bad guys are truly evil. If there's a movie version of this book, I'm sure Hollywood will cast someone like Matt Damon or Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Pavano, but there is no one that can play bad guy Dr. Barbosa better than Frank Langella. The part is tailor-made for his particular kind of evil eye madness.

Enjoy!

"The Cradiac Cartel" is a taunt, intense, adrenline rushing thriller that impels it's reader to grasp a breathe between pages. The plot is concise, rich with palpable apprehension. Characters are well defined with credible flaws and strengths, dialogue is smart, believable, with enough irreverence to allow a smile through the tension. This book is well conceived and meets every criteria for a plausible, engaging medical mystery. Reminiscent of Robin Cook or Michael Palmer, David Mucci's style of story-telling stacks up admirably to his predecessors. I was totally memsmerized by this read, not able to stop until conclusion, and,oh, what a cleverly twisted ending it was!!

Thrill seekers, David Mucci, is your new best friend. Read this book and take the adventure that cries out to you, knowing thrills and chills abound on every page of this tantalizing tale!!

Bravo, Dr. David Mucci!!

Reading The Cardiac Cartel enlightened me to a whole new world. Not only was this a medical education, but the author brought in a full spectrum of characters. The story built rapidly after some medical jargon and character building. I couldn't put the book down and the ending was quite unexpected. I found the storyline believable - I won't talk to a docter the same way. More striking, is that I will have more respect and trust for those in the community that never get any - like gang members. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something different, educational, scary, exciting, etc. etc. I look forward to more books by David Mucci.

To be honest, I was skeptical. I've read a lot of books recently, many by first-time authors, and in general, have read some decent attempts that just weren't all that they could be.

I won Mucci's book in a contest and although pleased I won a "prize", was hoping it wasn't another book that I would be putting on the slag heap. Well, I so enjoyed the book that I can't recommend it highly enough.

The best metaphor I can think of to describe "Cardiac Cartel" would be that of a roller coaster ride. They are at once exilarating and frightening, and once we are off the ride we laugh at how silly we were for being frightened, but dang, wasn't it fun?

The book starts out gradually, giving hints and foreshadowing, almost as if we can catch glimpses of the coaster itself and hear vague screaming from its riders as we wait. The closer we get to the ride, and then once into the "car", the faster it goes and the more loops, turns, and fast up and down hill rides.

Mucci surpassed my expectations. This book was a joy to read. I read it in two sittings. I finished it about two hours ago and still have a smile on my face and a laugh on my lips. I hope Mucci continues to write books of this caliber.

As a final note, the topic of doling out health care is especially timely. The ethical questions raised in my mind are something to be understood and appreciated, especially if you or someone you love is on Medicare.

I just finished "The Cardiac Cartel". I took a chance on this book being that David Mucci was an unknown author to me. I was not disappointed, and neither will you. It was fast paced and very realistic. I have had angioplasty and am glad I read it after my procedure. There is no doubt in my mind that this book will be on the best sellers list in the future. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a book they can't put down.

The story begins with the murder of Dr. Collas, a fellow on the cardiac team at Connecticut General Hospital. It was apparently, someone he trusted. With the introduction of each new character, the reader is left to wonder, is this the murderer? Dr. Peter Pavanno enters the picture two days later to interview for a position on the team. Questions soon arise concerning the cardiac cartel and Peter finds first his job, then his life threatened. The first part of the book follows a familiar formula. Then about halfway through the story it begins to get more interesting. There is plenty of action and it is nice to be able to root for a deserving hero such as Peter Pavanno. There are quite a few typos that were a little distracting, but they didn't slow the pace of the story. Although this isn't a very original tale, it was an enjoyable read.

The Cardiac Cartel is a pulse-pounding, cardiovascular workout for the mind. David Mucci has composed a medical thriller comparable to any Robin Cook or Michael Palmer novel. The Cardiac Cartel is like a Mafia-style thriller with bad-guy doctors instead of organized wise guys.



Dr. Peter Pavano's future is in jeopardy the minute he interviews for a chance to join the Fellowship in Angioplasty with a prestigious hospital. He is assured the work will be consuming, seven days a week. He can't be married. He can't be planning to marry. He isn't even allowed to date. The intense agenda is guaranteed to generate an excessive amount of stress. This fact is proven. The last person in the Fellowship program committed suicide weeks after being accepted.



Pavano is approached by FBI Agent Sloan and informed of a mysterious cartel involving hundreds of doctors. The agent tells Pavano that the suicidal doctor before him might have been murdered. They need Pavano's help extracting information about the cartel in order to put a stop to the criminal activity.



In his search for the truth, Pavano is set up. He is accused of severely botching an operation, killing an important political senator. With the help of his attorney, Pavano launches a quest to clear his name, only to find himself surrounded by more doom. People with information turn up dead. The police think Pavano is responsible for murder. The cartel has set a team of mercenaries loose, looking to kill Pavano and anyone else involved with the scheme to puncture the money-artery pumping life into the heart of the cartel.



Amazing and well-developed characters, fast-paced scenes, great dialogue and a very believable, unnerving plot, The Cardiac Cartel has everything anyone could want in a medical thriller. David Mucci has a genuine skill of building up suspense-filled chapters and maintaining the intensity throughout the book. I will anxiously be awaiting more from this talented writer.

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Johnny Blade, Third Ring and Tenth House

David Mucci's first book was extremely entertaining. I must say I read it in two nights. Though it was not a Pulizer Prize contender it was a fast paced fun book. I was extremely impressed with him for using a young man with Down Syndrome and a innder city gang member as his main heros. It was heartwarming to see his portrayel of Dusty, the young man with Downs Syndrome. I was reminded of how easily we as a society generalize and sterotype people by how they physically appear, and pre-lable them in their ability to succeed based on this perception. Dusty was smart enough to understand his disability, though he knew no boundries in what he could accomplish. He also used everyones prejudices towards him to his advantage. They underestimated his abilities.

A heartwarming fun entertaining tale for all. Five Satrs and I look forward to his next book.

Dr. David Mucci has written a fast paced, character driven story here that will keep you up all night reading! This is a wonderful book and I can't recommend it highly enough. I couldn't put it down. I was captivated from the first page right up to the last. The plot was entirely believable and the action never slowed down. Even if you're not a fan of medical thrillers I'm sure you'll like this book. It has all the ingredients of greatness. This is a story that the reader will remember long after finishing the book.

Dr. Peter Pavano is a young doctor just getting started out on a bright career when he runs up against the wrong people. Or perhaps it's they who ran up against the wrong young doctor! It soon becomes apparent that the bad guys have met their match in this fellow. Dr. Pavano is forced to confront a very powerful organization set on destroying all he has worked to achieve. It's kill or be killed and the young doctor quickly decides he's not going to lose this fight. He is helped along on his quest by a great cast of supporting characters who bring such color to the story! And talk about bad guys! Not since Darth Vader has there been a more black hearted villain than Pavano's nemesis at the Connecticut General Hospital. You won't want to miss this book.

With the advent, and recent explosion of the self-publishing industry, new books and authors are appearing in a manner reminiscent of a commercial popcorn popper's output at a Saturday matinee. Novelists are everywhere you turn these days. In fact, now there are so many writers in America, one need only to swing a pencil in the air to hit one in the eye.
However, this is not necessarily a bad thing.
The upside to the phenomenon is that there are a lot of voices in the world, with a lot of good things to say. The downside is that most of the writers don't know how to say it.
Not so with David Mucci's premiere novel The Cardiac Cartel.(First Books Library;185 pages).
From the first paragraph there is no doubt that this Medical Doctor cum writer has been there - done that. The insightful backgrounds could be created so realistically by no one other than an insider.
The fictional Connecticut General Hospital is the setting for the never-let-up action thriller. It is a nice blend of big city hospital with rural small town political hierarchies.
The self serving group of interventional cardiologists that form The Cardiac Cartel have forgotten, or chosen to ignore, that little bit of the Hippocratic oath that admonishes practitioners `to do no harm.'
It is turf wars carried to the maximum degree. Into this slush pile of arrogance, geed, outright conspiracy and murder most foul steps Dr. Peter Pavanno, a new cardiologist intent on saving lives.
His ideology is steamrollered from the first moments he meets his coworkers, and he is sucked into the vortex of everything he despises about the business part of medical practice. As this story rolls to an odd little twist ending, Dr. Pavanno's primary goal becomes saving his own life while trying to figure what really goes on at Connecticut General.
People die. It is a fact of life for doctors. However, in this hospital people are dying that have never had the benefit of being sick.
A good plot, ripping good pace, and an interesting look into the world of medical practice gone amuck. This book is a great first story from a promising new author.

Mike Thomas
Charlotte NC.